Roller catch



A fw wrt I.

L. ROSENBLUM ROLLER CATCH Nov. 24, 1953 2,660,464

Flled April 8, 1952 ENTOR mmm 523921 gam-g ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 24, 1953 Leonard Rosenblum, Hillside,

N. J., assignor to l Star Metal Products Co.,` Brooklyn, N. Y., a

partnership Application April 8, 1952, Serial No. 281,081

v6 claims. (c1. 292-75) This invention relates to roller catches of the type, which includes a spring-pressed roller and is commonly used with a strike Ias a latch for an interior door. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a novel roller catch made of a few parts which can be produced by simple manufacturing operations and can be readily-assembled to form the catch. The new roller catch operates smoothly without sticking, and it is subject to little wear and not liable to be damaged in use.

The roller catch` of the invention comprises `a housing of channel section having a closed rear end and laterally extending ears, by which it can be attached to a door, for example. A slide of channel section is mounted in the housing for longitudinal movement and the slide extends out of the front end of the housing and carries a roller mounted for free rotation on a pin secured in the side walls of the slide. The slide is providedwith laterally extending lugs received in'slots in the side walls of the housing and guiding and limiting the movement of the slide. The slide is urged to its extreme outer position by a springv bearing against the slide and the rear Wall of the housing.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made tothe accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a view of the new roller catch in per b spective;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the roller catch on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3;v A .Y

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line'S-B of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a View in perspective of "the 'slide' of the catch.

The roller catch of the invention comprises a housing generally designated Ill and shown as of inverted U-section. .The housing includes side walls II lying parallel to each other and a rear end Wall I2 between the side walls, the side and end walls being integral with a top wall I3. The front end and inner side of the housing, that is, the end from which the slide protrudes and the side which is attached to the door or other surface, are open and the housing is lprovided with ears I4 extending outwardly in a plane from the lower edges of its side walls. The ears are formed with slots Ma for receiving screws I5, by which the roller catch is attached to a door D, for example. The side walls II of the housing are formed with aligned llongitudinal slots IIa.

. A slide generally designated I6 is mounted within the housing and projects outwardly through theopen end thereof. The slide'is of inverted U-section and includes a'top wall-@I1 and parallel side walls I8. A pin I9 is mounted in openings in the side Walls I8 near the `outer ends thereof and outside the housing and a roller 2l), which is preferably made of rubber, is mounted for free rotation on the pin. The endsof the pin are headed, as indicated at I9a, to hold itrmly in place. Y i

Toward the rear end of the slide, the side walls are of reduced width and each wall is provided with an integral lug 2|, which is receivablein a slot IIa in one of the side walls II of the housing. About midway between the ends of thetop wall of the slide, va tongue 22 is struck inwardly therefrom and the free end 22a of the tongue is bent toward the rear end of the housing. l A coil spring 23 lies within the slide and bearsfat its forward end against tongue 22, the spring encircling the end 22a of the tongue. A tongue 24 is struck inwardly from thev rear end wall I2..of the housing and the rear end of the spring bears against the rear end wall I2 and is caught behind tongue 24, so that the spring is properly centered.

As is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the width of the slide I6 from the plane of the lower faces of lugs 2I- tothe plane of the lower surfaces of the side walls I8 is less than the distance from the plane of the lower surfaces of slots I Ia in the sidewalls of housing `Ill to the plane of the lower faces of ears I4. As a consequence, the slideis supported by lugs 2I in slots IIa with the inner end ofthe slide spaced from the surface, to which the roller catch is attached, and, as the slide moves in `and out of housing I IJ, it can not tilt sufciently to bite into or damage the surface. The slide, accordingly, moves in and out of the housing freely and with little friction. Y

`'The housing and slide are made from sheet metal and the housing is formed in a single stamping operation. At the completion of this operation, the side walls II of the housing :lie sprung outwardly to a. slight extent. The slide is made in a single stamping operation and it is completed by the mounting of the pin and roller thereon. To assemble the roller catch, the spring is inserted into vthe housing and its rear endis caught behind tongue 24. The slide is then inserted into the housing with the end 22a of its tongue 22 entering the front end of the spring. Although the overall Width of the slide across tongue 2| is greater than Ithe distance between Walls II of -the housing of the completed slide,

the insertion of the slide into the housing can be accomplished because the side walls l I of the housing are sprung outwardly, as described. After the slide has been inserted into the housing against the resistance of the spring and the lugs 2| are aligned with slots Ila, in the side walls of the housing, the side Walls Il are bent toward each other Luntilf they lieparallel.` `fAsga result of this operation; the lugsr2l on theY slide enter -the slots lla and the slide is held positively within the housing, although it is permitted a longitudinal movement equal to the diierence between lengths of slots Ha and lugs 2|.

In the use of the new roller catch, the slide is forced inwardly against the compression ofthe spring when the roller rolls over the strike. As the lugs 2| on the slide make contact over relatively long areas with the walls'or slots `l'la'ofthe housing, the cooperation of these partsfinsures that the movements of the slide in opposite directions will bep-along a rectilinear path and the slide cannot tiitsiifcieiuy to'cause either end thereofto bemoved tov afp'osition .beyfmdthe plane of the inner side of the housing. Hence,

the slide cannotbi'te Yinto or engage the: surface to which the roller catch isattached 'and will always-move freely'without any sticking or binding.

l. A roller catch which comprisesv a` housing having a top, parallel'side walls, and a rear end wall, the front end and inner side of the housing beingopen and the side walls having aligned longitudinal slots, a'slide 'of' channel section within the-.housing and havingintegral lugs'fextending outwardly fromits side walls and' entering the lslots-one end oi the slide projecting ytl'irough theopen front end-or-thehousingand the bottom 'of theslide lying inwardly'from the plane of the `inner side ofithe housing, akpin mounted in'openings -intheside walls ofthe slide, alroller freely rotatable on the pin-and`projectingbeyond the outer 'endfoi .the slide, and-afspring engaging therearend wall ofthe housing and the slide and'urging vthe-slide outof the h0using, the slots and lugs being positioned inwardly from: the slide from the point of mounting of said pin therein and theflugsvbeing elongated; in the direction of thetsliding movement ofthe'slide and forming a guidingsupport for the slideduring `such -movement.

2.1-A 'roller i catch 'which comprises -a I'housing havinga top, parallelfsidewallsfanda rear end wall, the'front endjand inner side' ofthe housing being V`open 1andthes'ide walls having aligned .longitudinal slots, :a

slide -of 'channel section within the housing andhaving integral lugs extending outwardly from itsside walls and entering the slots, one end of the slide-projecting through the open front end `or thehousing and thebottom of the slide lying inwardly from the plane of the inner side of the housing, a vpin .mounted in openings in the side walls of the slide, a'roller freely'rotatableon the pin and project- -ing beyond the outer end of the slide, a seat formed on the slide and lying between the side walls and offset from the wall connecting them, andere spring Vengaging theseat on the slide and the rear end wall of the housing and urgingthe slide .out of the housing, the slots andlugs being positioned inwardly from the slide from the point of mounting of said pin therein and the lugs being elongated-in the direction of the rsliding-movement of the slide and forming a guidingsupport for the slide during such movement.

'plane of the inner side of the housing, a, pin

mounted in openings in the side walls of the slide,

f'ar'ollr freely rotatable on the pin and project- `-ing beyond vtheouter; end of the slide, a tongue struck-inwardly from the outer wall of the slide and havingran Aend extending toward the rear end wall of the housing, and a spring having one end'egaging'thetongue and encircling said end thereof'and its other end engaging the rear wall of the housing, the spring urging the slide out of the housing, the slots `and lugs being positioned inwardly from the slide Afromthe point of mounting of said pin therein and the lugs bing" elong`ated in the directionof 'the'v sliding vmovementof the slide and forming'a guiding support for the slide during such movement. A

4. A rollerfca'tch which comprises aA vhousing having a top, Vparallel side walls,',an'd 'a` rear end wall, the front end and' inner side of -the hl'ii'isi'rig being open and theside 'wallsihaving 4'aligned longitudinal slots, a slide of inverted u-seetion within the housing and havingintegral lugs'extending outwardly from its side walls'and entering the slots, one end ,of the slideprojecting through the y,ope'nfront end of the housing and the bottom of Vthe slide lying inwardly vfrom the plane ofthe inner side of the housingfafp'in mounted in, openings in the lside walls of vthe slide, a' roller freely rotatable on the pin4 and-projecting beyond Vthe outer lend' of .the slide, a tcirigue strucl;A inwardly from the outer walLof the's'lide and havinganend extending toward the rear' end w'allof the housing, a'tongu'e strukinwardly from the. rear end vwall 'of the housingand aligned with said end of the' tongue .onthe slide, and'a spring having one" end `engaging the tongue 'n the slide and encircling said end oisaidtong'iie, the rear end' of the spring'bearing 'againstlthe rear end wall of the'housing and @being vsaiiglt behind thetongue struck therefrom, the'spring urging the slide out of the housing, the slotsfand lugs being positionedinwardlyfrom the slide from the point ofmounting of said pin therein 'and the lugs being velongated inthe vdirection of the sliding movement of the slide and forming -a -guiding support for the slide during such movement. 5. A rollercatch which comprises afhousingf'of inverted U-seoti`on`havir'1gy a closed rearenfdfthe thefrontend and inner side of the housingfbe'ing open-and theside walls' having aligned longitudinal slots, ears extending'outwardly in fa plan'e from the 1Qwer edges of the side Walls o'f'te housing, a slide 'of inverted U-'section withinthe housing. having yintegral lugs extendingfoutwar'dly from its side walls .and entering theslots ltoA support the slide for longitudinal movement 'with the lower edges of its side walls above theplane ofthe ears, the slide projecting throughthe frontend of the housing, agpin mounted in, openingsin'the side walls of the slide, a roller freely rotatable on the pin and projecting beyond the outer .end of theslide, anda spring engaging the rear`end wall ofthe housing and the slideand `urging the slide out'of the housing, the slots andlgslbeing positioned inwardly from Vthe slide from the point of mounting of said pin therein and the lugs being elongated in the direction of the sliding movement of the slide and forming a guiding support for the slide during such movement.

6. A roller catch which comprises a housing having a top, parallel side walls, and a rear end wall, the front end and inner side of the housing being open and the side walls having aligned longitudinal slots, a slide of channel section Within the housing and having integral lugs extending outwardly from its side walls and entering the slots, one end of the slide projecting through the open front end of the housing and the bottom of the slide lying inwardly from the plane of the innerside of the housing, said lugs being elongated in the direction of the sliding movement of the slide and forming the sole means for supporting the slide with the inner side spaced inwardly from the plane of the inner side of the housing and the width of the lugs relative to the Width of the slots being such as to prevent such tilting of the slide as would cause either end thereof to be moved to a position outwardly beyond the plane of the inner side of the housing, a pin mounted in openings in the side walls of the slide, la roller freely rotatable on the pin and projecting beyond the open end of the housing and the outer end of the slide, and a spring normally urging the slide in a direction to move it outwardly of the housing. 

